Warmth
by duckys-dream
Summary: "Are we going to talk about this?" Beckett asked lifting her chin to turn her sleepy eyes towards him, her cheek pressed against his chest as she cuddled against his side on the couch. "Us," She offered. *post ep for Countdown (s3e17)*
1. Holding Hands

_So, my very good (scary? but loving) friend/beta, upon request, sent me prompts for a story – way back in about August but that's totally not the point. This story took a long time to get off the ground and I don't even really know why._

_Said friend/beta, when asked what the nickname of this story should be, suggested "I can't get wet!" as that was a very bad line from a book she recently read as part of her course work (The Reluctant Fundamentalist, in case you're wondering). I vetoed, naturally, as that's rather a mouthful (I wanted to call it Terry, but whatever). Eventually we settled on Moist...and here it is._

_Upon asking/demanding updates, as she often does (in very loud writing with maybe slight over use of CAPS), she's been known to ask "do you have any moisture for me?" which I think she's enjoying more than she probably should, but ok. It makes me laugh._

_Oh, and she is and always will be the creator of Castle's magic potion. I take no credit, I'm just borrowing. Well, I take a bit of credit for giving it actual constituents instead of listing it as made from "the necessary ingredients"._

_The first prompt, and what is necessary for you to know right now, is that this takes place basically immediately post Countdown (S3E17) and that I was required to include the line "I can't get warm" with no specificity as to the speaker._

_You don't have to have seen Countdown for this to make sense but it's gonna help._

_Rated for language (which I apologise for but it's a natural part of who I am and I tend to project that); and eventual elusion to ~sexytimes~ with probably no graphic detail._

_I'll post sufficient warning for any chapter that may be borderline M but I'ma try keep it T._

* * *

"Beckett?" Castle said as he stepped off the elevator and headed towards his loft. He had one foot halfway off the ground and his brow creased with concern. Beckett turned suddenly at the sound of his voice, looking up at him from the position she'd nestled into on the floor. She was sitting beside his front door with her back against the wall, knees drawn up and arms wrapped around her legs. "What's wrong?" He asked taking the remaining steps along the hallway and crouching beside her. "You're shaking."

"Th-thank you, captain obvious. I can't," She stuttered with the violent chills running through her body, pausing and swallowing hard before she continued. "Can't get warm," She managed, shaking her head and licking her lips. "Castle," she almost pleaded. "Can't get warm," She frowned. "Please help me, so, so cold."

"Come inside," Castle said rising to his feet and almost tripping over himself to get the door unlocked. "Come on, Beckett," He said crouching again and helping Beckett to her feet. "Jesus Christ, I can feel the chill of your body through your clothes."

"Sorry," Beckett mumbled, teeth chattering.

"Oh, please," He said rolling his eyes as he ushered her across the loft towards the fireplace. "Sit down," He instructed guiding her to sit on the couch before leaning past her to pull a thick rug from the back of the cushions. He ensured the rug was wrapped tightly around her before turning towards the fireplace. Beckett pulled her boots off and tucked her legs up onto the couch, beneath the rug, as she watched Castle make short work of stoking the smouldering embers to create a blazing fire again. He then rose to his feet and Beckett turned slightly to track his movements as he headed towards the kitchen.

He returned a moment later with a mug of steaming liquid. "This should help," He said crouching down and holding the mug out for her. Beckett untangled her arms from the rug, still holding it as close to her body as possible, and took hold of the mug with both hands.

"What is it?" She asked, eyes wide and body still trembling.

"Magic potion," Castle smiled, wrapping his hands around hers and the mug at the same time, steadying it while Beckett sniffed the liquid. "It's hot milk with cocoa and malted barley powder. I added some hazelnut coffee whitener because it makes it creamier and the taste is nice and there's some cinnamon sprinkled on top. Plus my secret ingredient, of course," He added as Beckett took a small sip.

"Brandy?" She said wrinkling her nose slightly. "Your secret ingredient is brandy?"

"Um, well, the secret ingredient is ah," He cleared his throat almost nervously. "The two marshmallows, but the brandy doesn't hurt. It's Cognac, actually,"

"Naturally," Beckett said taking a large swallow of the hot liquid.

"It's not much, I promise, but it will help warm you up." He insisted. "And it will help you sleep, too." He said lifting one hand from Beckett's and cupping her cheek, running his thumb along the dark smudges under her eyes before lowering his hand back to help her hold the mug steady.

"Hell of a day," Beckett sighed, taking a sip of the steaming drink.

"Hell of a day," Castle nodded.

"Where were you so late at night?" Beckett asked, frowning slightly and Castle's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Sorry, none of my bu-business." She mumbled taking another sip.

"I was at your apartment." Castle said.

"What?" She asked, her eyes snapping to his. Castle shrugged nonchalantly.

"We probably went right by each other in the street somewhere. I wanted to see you, I needed to." He sighed. "Jesus, Kate," He said shaking his head. "I just can't stop thinking about it, you know? I can't stop thinking about what would've happened if pulling those wires hadn't stopped the bomb."

"You d-d-don't need to worry about it." Beckett said. "It did, did work,"

"I know," Castle nodded. "But still, what if it hadn't?"

"You still wouldn't need to worry ab-about it." Beckett said taking another sip of Castle's magic potion, drawing a deep breath to try and calm her shivers. "If it hadn't worked we wouldn't e-e-even have had time to register it. We would've been va,"

"Stop," Castle said holding up one hand. "Stop, you don't need to, there's no, my writers imagination supplies the details from there." He stumbled slightly. "That's the problem, I guess. I can't stop thinking about what would've happened to us and to the people who weren't, you know, turned to dust," He said dropping his voice to a whisper as he shook his head again.

"I know," Beckett nodded.

"You're still shaking," Castle said squeezing her hands gently around the mug.

"I'm fr-freezing,"

"Are you feeling any warmer at all?"

"A little bit." Beckett answered. "I think."

"Maybe we should take you up to the hospital." Castle said.

"No," Beckett shook her head before the words were even completely out of Castle's mouth. "No, I don't need that. I just want to be warm, Castle." The plea was back in her tone. "Please,"

"It's so unfair that you turn that puppy dog face back on me," Castle said shifting to sit on the couch on Beckett's left. "You're using my own tricks against me."

"Not a trick," Beckett said, pouting slightly and shaking her head, turning wide green eyes towards Castle. "Please, Rick, I just want to be warm." She whispered.

"Don't bullshit me, Beckett," Castle said pulling the rug around them both. "You just don't want to go to the hospital."

"I hate hospitals,"

"I know," Castle nodded. "Just get over here." He said taking the mug from Beckett and holding it while she made herself comfortable.

"I almost had you," Beckett said turning slightly and adjusting her feet underneath her.

"Almost," He conceded. "Although, technically, you did win because we don't appear to be going to the hospital."

"You big softie," Beckett smiled, still wiggling herself into a comfortable position, her knees now lying across Castle's lap as she tucked herself against his right side.

"Finish this up," Castle said holding the mug back for Beckett and waiting until she took it in both hands before tucking the blanket more securely around her.

"Thank you," Beckett said taking a large mouthful of Castle's magic potion and peering into the almost empty mug. "How do you get the marshmallows to melt like that and not get all stuck to the sides?" She asked looking up at him. Castle smiled, his face mere inches from hers.

"Magic," He whispered.

"My," Beckett stopped and drew a slow deep breath. "My mom could always do that, her marshmallows never went gooey and stuck to the sides of the mug."

"I guess it's parent magic," Castle shrugged.

"Maybe," Beckett nodded downing the last of her drink, including the marshmallows. Castle took the mug and leant forward to set it down in front of the couch.

"Warmer?" Castle asked as he settled back on the couch.

"Yes," Beckett nodded, resting her head against Castle's chest and curling her hands in her lap. "Thank you," Beckett said again.

"You don't need to keep thanking me, Beckett, you did ask for my help. You and I both know despite the tough front I can't actually refuse you anything when you ask for it."

"I know," Beckett nodded. "But that's not what I meant." She said turning to meet Castle's eyes. "I meant thank you for saving my life today."

"With your hand in mine I could move mountains, Kate," Castle smiled pressing a sweet, chased kiss to her forehead and wrapping one of his large hands around both her smaller ones.

* * *

_What I've called Castle's Magic Potion here is, in my world, a drink I make for a 5yo when he can't sleep or when we're slumming in our jammies for the day or basically whenever we feel like it because we are awesome and we are bester friends than anyone!_

_It's true!_

_Except our version doesn't have any brandy in it (I do not give the 5 year old brandy, I promise) and sometimes they only have regular coffee whitener and not hazelnut in the supermarket (it's still good). It's called Spunky & Ra's Special Mega Creamy Hot Chocolate with Floaters or just "special hot chocolate"._

_And, yes, I can make it without the marshmallows going goo-y and sticking to the side of the mug. Don't be jealous, it's my superhero power. ;)_


	2. Holding Lives

_Thank you for all reviews, favourites and follows, you guys are awesome.  
This is fanfiction, not a script, so please allow me a little artistic licence with the existence, or not, of a fireplace in Castle's loft. Maybe it's decorative, maybe it's not...Let's just agree that turning up the thermostat is far less romantic! :)  
_

_I ... have this weird obsession with Caskett on the couch, has anyone else noticed that? I've kind of only just become aware of it myself. Like, as I finished writing the last chapter. I'm ... sorry? =\  
I'm maybe not that sorry.  
_

_So, anyway, this chapter is a little of what you know – that is what will be familiar to you if you've seen Countdown – and a little of what you don't know because, well, it didn't actually happen and I'm making this shit up..._

_For whatever reason this was really hard to write so I apologise in advance if you find it even remotely cringe-worthy. I really tried!_

_Having said that though, I am kind of proud of how this came out in the end.  
_

* * *

_By the way, the next thing I think you should know is that it was stipulated in __**bold**__ (with multiple underlines) that Josh does not exist. Totally breaks canon, there just isn't and never was Josh. You're going to have to use your own imagination to fill in any Josh related gaps...it was a lot more fun to write without that particular element to worry about, not gonna lie.  
_

* * *

**EIGHT HOURS EARLIER**

_00:00:30_

"Thirty seconds," Castle said drawing a deep breath and trying to calm his thundering heart.

"Fallon?" Beckett asked into the phone, unsure how she managed to get the word out when desperation was sneaking in and squeezing her throat so tightly closed.

"I can't see anything!" Fallon yelled. Beckett's throat closed almost entirely, only the tiniest stream of air managing to make its way to her lungs through her open mouth and her eyes snapped to Castle's. "I'm sorry," He said, resigned. "I'm so sorry."

_00:00:15_

Both Castle and Beckett looked back to the bomb, tracing the loops and curls of the wires quickly with their eyes; the glowing red numbers that seemed to mock them with every tick away of a second.

_00:00:10_

Castle turned towards Beckett and found her turning towards him in sync. "Castle," She said, just more than a whisper. A person with any less strength or willpower would have sobbed the word. Not Katherine Beckett. Not audibly, anyway, Castle could see the fear and the sadness in her eyes.

The two syllables contained maybe more information and emotion than any book Richard Castle had ever written; more than all of them combined. The word was a plea; the word was an apology; the word was a confession; the word was a declaration. He had no words to reply and no time to, even if the words would come. He reached out silently and slipped his fingers around hers, lifting her hand and squeezing it firmly as he pulled her a step closer to his side.

_00:00:05_

The tiniest smile flicked across Beckett's lips, sparkling in her eyes and she drew a deep breath. The calm acceptance floated down and settled in a split second and Beckett acknowledged it with an almost invisible nod at her partner.

_00:00:03_

He swallowed his own fear, exhaling all anxiety in a single breath that mingled with hers and returned the nod, assuring her he felt the calm too and that he was as glad of her presence as she was of his.

_00:00:02_

If they were going to die then they would do it as they had lived the last two and a half years; together.

_00:00:01_

Beckett's eyes widened suddenly as Castle turned away from her and back towards the bomb, ducking without realising she'd done it – still not fully registering that Castle had moved - when sparks flew up in her peripheral vision. She swallowed hard, blinking quickly and turned back to Castle. He was standing, wide unfocussed eyes staring off over her left shoulder, clutching a bundle of different coloured wires which he'd just yanked free from the countdown mechanism of the bomb.

He looked as surprised to be alive and as confused by their continued existence as she was.

_00:00:00_

They both looked back to the bomb, Beckett first and then Castle, neither sure exactly what had happened. Castle dropped the wires as if they'd burned him and took a quick step backwards, his hand still holding firmly to Beckett's.

_00:00:00_

"Oh," Beckett grunted, relief, joy and exhilaration pushing all the air out of her lungs at once when she finally realised they were still alive, still together. The bomb hadn't gone off.

_00:00:00_

Gasping for her next breath Beckett said his name again, desperation in her tone but of a different kind than she'd been plagued with when talking to Fallon only seconds earlier. Desperate to reassure him and make sure he understood they were still standing, desperate to have him reassure her likewise. The emotions hit her like a tidal wave and she found herself unable to decipher them or to process them as they continued to roll over and bear down on her. Feelings raced through her that she neither understood nor was even familiar with.

They turned to face each other again their hands only loosening from each other's grip in order to allow them to fall into a crushing hug. Beckett gasped loudly, almost painfully as she drew air into her body against the almost bruising weight of his arms wrapped around her ribs, wrapping her arms more tightly around his neck in return.

Tears stung the backs of her eyes and began falling down her cheeks without warning. "Beckett," Castle breathed the word into her hair and pressed his cheek firmly against her temple.

Then their arms were loosening, though only slightly, and they were moving apart only to come back together a moment later with their lips pressed together. Neither moved for a beat, lips simply meeting lips in an act of reaffirmation that they were indeed still alive, and then there was a flurry of movement as if sparked by an ethereal bolt of electricity starting where the pair were joined. Castle's hands slid to Beckett's hips and he surged forwards, met by almost painful pressure as she made a similar movement in his direction.

Tongues were met with the slide of tongues as their lips parted in sync. Beckett tangled her fingers in the hair at the nape of Castle's neck, pulling him closer as his mouth slanted over hers and deepened the kiss. Teeth nipped at lips, tongues battled and caressed and with eyes closed they lost themselves in the kiss until the need for air brought them back to the reality of their situation; back to a New York street in the middle of the afternoon in the presence of an unexploded dirty bomb.

They fell back into a brief hug before sheer joy bubbled out of them both in the form of laughter. She laughed at him in earnest as he turned to face the bomb again, pointing his finger in indignation and mocking the inanimate and now useless machinery. Castle turned to face Beckett again, a broad smile across his face as he listened to her and reached out to gently wipe the smudges of tears from her cheeks.

* * *

_Seriously, those (sex) noises that Stana Katic acts for Beckett's relief are nearly impossible to write without sounding horribly crass._

_In case I didn't already mention it, I really tried!_

_Also? Disclaimer for anyone interested:  
Yes, yes I own Castle.  
That's why I'm writing this from the living room of my ramshackle house in the outer south-west suburbs of a nowhere Australian town (which is at least six episodes behind the US for season 5) in between working 50 hours a week at a job that makes my back and feet hurt like someone 60+ years my senior.  
Really?  
No. I don't own Castle. If I did - there'd be less crime and more couch time, obviously!  
_


	3. Holding Hearts

_Ok! YOU GUYS! You're freaking me out because you're all so sweet and review-y and follow-y and ... wow. Why does that freak me out? Because I hadn't planned on making this more than a few chapters long but you all want more and I'm like, damn, I'm not prepared for that! Time to panic? Yeah, maybe, we'll see.  
_

_And just so we're clear, when I say rug I mean blanket, I had in mind the thick warm kind that's usually knitted or crocheted but the fluffy mink kind or even wool would be fine, whatever fits inside your own head. I thought I was slipping to a more American vernacular by say 'rug' instead of 'blanket' (I often type mom instead of mum for the same reason) but apparently I've just messed it up. Should I have said afghan? You know what, if you're the sort of person who has, or know of someone who has, some kind of warm blanket-like device on/around your couch/sofa let's just go with whatever that is.  
__Let's be honest though, even if Castle and Beckett were cuddling under a hunk of carpet it would still be pretty damn cute, right? :)  
_

* * *

_Honestly? This was supposed to be a shower scene but, once again, Caskett appear to be having a conversation I was not ready to write for them…on the couch because I apparently cannot help myself. It took Lex and I a long time to save me from myself. She helps by enduring my endless whining about how stuck I am and my flailing about not having the first clue where I'm going with this thing._

* * *

"Are we going to talk about this?" Beckett asked, her voice almost a whisper. She felt more than heard Castle's voice rumble through his chest as he answered her question with one of his own.

"Talk about what?"

"This," Beckett said lifting her chin to turn her sleepy eyes towards him, her cheek pressed against his chest as she cuddled against his side on the couch. The chills running through Beckett's body had subsided and she'd fallen into a light doze in front of the fire, wrapped in a blanket and wrapped in Castle's arms. She'd woken to find his fingers swirling a gentle pattern against the small of her back where he'd worked his fingers under the fabric of her shirt. She'd remained still and silent for a long time before finally giving voice to the question tumbling around inside her head. "Us," She offered.

"You mean how we almost froze to death in each other's arms?"

"That too," Beckett nodded.

"Or the part where you kissed me in the middle of the city,"

"You kissed me." Beckett said and Castle smiled as her brow furrowed. He curled forward, brushing his lips first softly against her forehead before adjusting his position slightly and pressing his lips to hers. He felt her straighten to create a more solid contact as his lips parted and his arm tightened around her back, amazed somewhere in the back of his mind that she wasn't pulling away.

"Now I kissed you," He whispered against her lips, resting his forehead against hers as the realisation began to sink in that this was something he could apparently do now.

"Yes," She nodded, her eyes slipping closed. "But are we going to talk about it?"

"If you're ready," Castle said pulling Beckett against his side again and resting his cheek against the crown of her head.

"What does it mean?" Beckett asked.

"I don't know." Castle answered honestly. "I know what I would like it to mean."

"I can't screw this up, Rick." Beckett sighed. "I can't lose you as a friend, as a partner and I'm afraid that if," She stopped and turned to find his eyes again. "If we don't work that I'll lose you and I can't do it, I couldn't," She shook her head.

"I'm not going anywhere." Castle said, kissing her forehead again. "We both have to work at it, Kate, we both have to open up and share and let each other in but we can do it. It can be great if we let it."

"What if I can't?"

"This conversation, this, us," Castle sighed. "That kiss. I was too afraid to mention it in case you regret it, did you know that?"

"No," Beckett shook her head.

"I'm committed to it Kate, to it, to us, to you." He shrugged. "If you need more time, all you have to do is say so. I'll wait for you."

"I don't want to wait anymore," She said shaking her head. "But I just, I don't want to mess it up."

"I don't want you to be perfect, Beckett, you don't need to be perfect for me. I fell in lo," He stopped with a word half formed on his lips when Beckett's eyes went wide. Castle's lips formed a comical 'o' before his mouth snapped shut. "I um," He cleared his throat. "I don't want you to be perfect, I just want you to be you."

There was a beat of silence before a burst of motion. Beckett sat fully up and turned towards Castle, her lips crashing down onto his as she swung one of her legs over his lap, aligning the top half of her body with his and twisting her hands in his hair. Castle wrapped his arms around Beckett's waist, unable to do anything else but return her fevered kisses and hold on.

"Ok, so I'm guessing you're ok with where we are right now," Castle said breathlessly as Beckett moved back an inch in his lap.

"You infuriating, adorable, sweet, frustrating man," Beckett said running her thumbs along the shell of Castle's ears. "Why do you have to say things like that?"

"It's in my nature?" Castle offered, the fingers of his left hand running slowly up and down her spine. "I didn't mean to go where you aren't ready to go, I just,"

"Let's just make a pact to take it one day at a time, one step at a time?" Beckett said, cutting him off.

"Deal." Castle smiled and nodded, flattening his hand against her back and guiding her forward for another kiss. "Your skin is still chilled." He said as his lips made their way across her jaw to the sensitive skin below her ear.

"I feel better," Beckett said, a small gasp escaping her lungs as Castle took her earlobe gently between his teeth.

"But still cold?" Castle asked pulling back to find Beckett's eyes.

"A little," She shrugged, catching Castle's mouth again.

"I can think of a few things that might warm you up," Castle grinned, his hands falling to her hips and pulling her flush against him as his lips moved to the column of her throat.

"I bet you can," Beckett almost giggled, tilting her head backwards to allow Castle better access.

"Maybe you should take a hot shower?" He suggested, scraping his teeth over her collarbone before sitting back, his concern for her overriding anything else.

"Ok," Beckett sighed and nodded. She kissed him soundly again before climbing off his lap and heading towards the downstairs bathroom. "You coming, Castle?" She asked from the bedroom door, a wicked smile playing across her lips before she disappeared out of sight.

"Hopefully," Castle mumbled, almost tripping over Beckett's empty mug in his haste to reach the bedroom.

* * *

_So there it is...ok?  
_

_Also? Is anyone particularly in want of a shower scene? This is all I'd actually planned to write when initially posting this story. I can leave it be or I can...not.__  
_


	4. Holding Passion

_So...here it is? Please note the increased rating.  
_

_For anyone with more self control than me (what with my resolve to keep this T rated lasting for only three chapters) you can either skip this chapter entirely, complete and content in the knowledge that you haven't missed anything of any particular significance or stop reading at the break.  
_

* * *

He can't believe it, he's fairly certain this isn't really happening. The bomb went off. He's dead. This is heaven.

_She_ is heaven.

Warm in his arms, soft and pliable, her mouth pressed to his, her naked body aligned with his, noises he's sure will be the end of him tumbling unbidden from her lips as water cascades over their entwined bodies.

They'd undressed each other slowly, taking their time to reveal previously uncharted territory. Their hands and lips travelling, discovering, with no particular destination, in no hurry, until they were both bare and had stepped into the shower stall and under the warmth of the rushing water with lips locked together.

They'd continued to explore lazily but with an underlying hum of reverence for where they are now. Both in awe of the point they have come to; together.

_Finally_.

Trails of soapy bubbles are left in the wake of roaming hands as they map the contours and planes of each other's bodies and Beckett delights in the sensation of being surrounded by his scent; _him_.

He'd discovered a light dusting of freckles in the middle of her back that reminded him of constellations of stars, running his lips and tongue across the smooth skin and committing them to memory. She'd found a crescent shaped scar on his thigh which he explained was the result of an unfortunate incident involving a pen knife while researching an escape for Derek Storm.

At some point, neither are sure when, she'd turned around to stand with her back pressed against his chest. His hands never still in their questing, tracing the lines of her muscles and the shape of her body, his touch both firm and gentle. She rested her head back against his shoulder, her hands lying across his as they slipped across her skin and, sometimes, drawing meaningless patterns on his forearms. br

* * *

brShe gasped and gripped his forearms tightly as he ran his hands low across her abdomen and across the crease at the top of her thighs. She turned her face towards him and he captured her mouth instantly, his fingers rubbing gentle circles against her inner thighs. His name tumbled from her lips as one of his hands tracked back up her body to cup her breast. The flesh heavy in his hand and her nipple pulled to a tight peak despite the warmth of the shower.

The fingers of his other hand teased gently through her folds and he felt a small shiver run through her body as she, whether consciously or not, widened her stance slightly. The quiet, lazy exploration dissolved in a second as his fingers slipped between her folds to press directly against the sensitive bundle of nerves hidden within.

"Castle," Beckett moaned and pressed her hips back against his as two of his fingers began moving in circles against her. A sound akin to a whimper left her mouth only to be swallowed by his as he kissed her again. Sliding his fingers from her clit he entered her smoothly, curling his fingers forward as his thumb replaced the pressure against her centre.

He brought her slowly to the peak of desire, his other hand still cupping her breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger and pinching gently. His mouth broke from hers and her head lulled to the other side, exposing her neck to him. "Let go, Kate," He whispered, running his lips along the side of her neck, nuzzling against the sensitive spot behind her ear as he increased the speed and pressure of the hand between her legs. "I've got you,"

Her muscles contracted around his fingers, her whole body going ridged for a moment before giving way to deep tremors, her inner muscles convulsing around his fingers as he worked her slowly through her orgasm. He slipped out of her and lifted his hand to hold her more securely against his chest as she regained some composure, caught off guard when she spun quickly and pressed the weight of her body into his. She forced him to step backwards, his back slamming against the tiled wall, his hip just missing the tap, and her mouth crashing against his.

His hands skated down her back and cupped the back of her thighs, lifting her completely off the ground as he turned them to one side. Her back came to rest against the wall and her spine arched slightly, away from the cold tiles, and her arms wrapped more tightly around his neck. She banded her legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind him, and broke away from his mouth to pull much needed oxygen into her lungs.

Castle took advantage of the slightly increased space between them to trail kisses down her neck, nipping at her collarbone before running the flat of his tongue across it to soothe the skin. A string of disconnected, inarticulate noises filled the shower stall as Beckett ground her hips against Castle's, his erection trapped deliciously between their bodies.

"Kate," He all but growled, adjusting his hold on her slightly. Without speaking Beckett reached between them, catching her bottom lip between her teeth as she guided him to her entrance. She met his eyes, her lip falling free of her teeth, and tightened her legs around his waist once more; pulling him to her, inside her, with the strong muscles housed inside the impossibly long limbs.

Another string of groans and gasps filled the shower as Castle slid home, the pair remaining perfectly still for the space of a few heartbeats before Beckett began to rock her hips. Castle found her rhythm and matched it, stroke for stroke, the friction coaxing them both higher. Castle lifted Beckett higher against him, delighting in the sensation the new position afforded them and acutely aware of her approval as he caught all her sensitised nerve endings with each stroke. Beckett caught his earlobe between her teeth, biting gently as she slid one hand between them again to press against her clit.

With the added stimulation it was only moments before her inner muscles began to spasm around him again and she shattered in his arms, pulling him along with her. Castle clutched Beckett to his chest and slowly sank to his knees, her back gliding down the wall until she came to rest in his lap as he sat on his heels. His forehead came to rest against her shoulder and she turned her head to press her nose against the side of his neck.

They were still again, unsure how much time passed as they sat in a heap under the still running shower in a mass of boneless limbs. Beckett was the first to move, straightening slightly and lifting her hands to run through Castle's drenched hair, lifting his head and turning his face towards her so she could kiss him again.

She pulled her bottom lip into the vice of her teeth again, unable to stop a grin spreading across her face as she leant backwards to look at him. She stroked her thumbs across the light stubble on his jaw and brought her forehead to rest against his.

"Warm?" Castle croaked and cleared his throat quickly, regretting the decision to trust his treacherous voice.

"Yes," Beckett all but giggled and nodded once.

* * *

_Apologies for any errors but I didn't hand this over to my beta for full proofing before I posted, having given it little more than a cursory glance myself due to fear that if I don't just get this thing up and posted I'll lose my nerve and it'll never happen._

_If you made it this far; thanks for sticking with me.  
_

_If anyone wants me, I'll be hiding under my bed..._


	5. Holding Secrets

_Thanks to your continued encouragement, and having been banished out from under the bed by several hundred dust bunnies who I found in residence there (party poopers), here we go again. :)_

_A shout out to Tonya95 who was the 100th follower of this story. Cheers for that. :) Cheers to all of you.  
_

_This chapter is T rated? If you're wondering. :)  
_

* * *

He sat bolt upright with enough force to throw the blankets off his body, her name wrapped up in a strangled gasp echoing around the quiet space of the bedroom as he fought to draw too-thick oxygen into his screaming lungs. The room was warm but a sheen of cold sweat covered his body and a memory of bone deep chills constricted his muscles, his heart thumping erratically against his ribs.

His mind flooded with other memories along with the chill. Memories of her tiny frame curled against him, cold and still; lifeless. The seconds ticking by into a world he knows he can never face under any circumstances. A world without her in it, devoid of the light she shines for him and the warmth she brings. A world without her smile, without her touch, without the lilting tease that filters into her tone sometimes, without her strong and grounding presence.

A world without love.

A soft sigh drifted to his ears and he gasped again jumping slightly. He turned to his left and his eyes fell on a lock of brown hair peeking out from a cocoon of blankets. Beckett was almost completely buried under layers of covers but half her face was visible along with a fan of tumbling curls spread across the pillow.

He watched her for a moment, glad he hadn't woken her when his nightmare had forced him back to consciousness, before reaching out and gently laying the pads of his fingers against her cheek. Her skin was warm, he noted, soft and supple under his touch and he drew a slow breath as he withdrew his hand and lay back down next to her, rearranging his own cocoon of blankets. He turned on his side and wiggled closer to her until he could feel her steady puffs of breath against his face.

"What are you doing here, Kate?" He asked out loud in a whisper. "After everything we've been through, after everything _you've_ been through how did you end up here? Why did you choose me when you could have anyone else? I don't," He stopped and drew another deep breath. "I don't know how I'll ever be worthy, how I'll ever deserve you."

Her eyelids fluttered slightly and Castle watched as she blinked her eyes open wearily and her eyes focussed on his face in the lowlight. "Castle?" She asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey, go back to sleep." Castle whispered, reaching out to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear, his fingertips lingering against her cheek for a moment. Beckett hummed in the back of her throat, adjusting her head and shoulders to make herself more comfortable as her eyes slipped closed again.

"You ok?" Beckett asked with her eyes still closed, clicking her sleep-heavy tongue adorably against the back of her teeth.

"I'm ok," Castle nodded.

"Why are you awake?" She asked, opening her eyes again and narrowing them to an almost suspicious glare. He hesitated for a second, debating whether to blow off the nightmare as nothing or whether to be honest with her about it. Her eyebrows lifted expectantly and the choice was made before he could even fully process it.

"Just a dream," He shrugged aiming for a light tone.

"So you're watching me sleep?" She asked pushing up on one elbow to look down at him.

"I wanted to make sure that that part wasn't the dream," He offered as he turned slightly onto his back and moved closer to her, aligning his face under hers.

"You think you're dreaming?" Beckett asked, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "You think you're dreaming me up, my being here?"

"I can't deny your presence in my bed has been the subject of maybe one or two dreams," He answered honestly and shrugged again, his smile growing to match hers as a full grin bloomed on her face.

"Oh yeah?" She asked trying and failing to hide her amusement. "These dreams," She started, lowering herself down so her chest pressed against his, her face only an inch from his. "Do I do this?" She asked running one hand up his side, under his shirt, to curl around the broad spread of his ribs as she lowered her lips to press a kiss to his cheek.

"Sometimes," Castle nodded, unable to stop his eyes going wide as she shifted one of her legs under the covers, sliding it over his thigh and letting it come to rest between his.

"I do, huh?" Beckett grinned, her lips tracing a line along his jaw. "And this?" She asked kissing down his neck, smiling against his skin as his arms came to life, lifting off the bed to clutch at her waist, his hands bracketing the slimmest part of her.

"Beckett," Castle all but groaned as she ran her teeth lightly over the cords of his neck.

"Do I?" She asked, nipping at his collarbone.

"Yes," He breathed, his eyes sliding shut as her lips continued to move against his skin, her tongue tracing the hollow at the base of his throat.

"Mm, and this?" She asked sliding her leg completely across his body to straddle his hips, lifting herself slightly to flick her hair over one shoulder with a wild roll of her head before finding his mouth again.

"Only in the really good ones," Castle smiled, working his fingers under the shirt she'd borrowed to sleep in after their shower and tracing the ridges of her spine. He could feel the smile still in place on her face as her lips moved against his, their bodies falling into an ancient rhythm so easily it was almost as if they'd rehearsed it a thousand times.

This was a dance well practiced in the secret place where dream and fantasy are kept, come finally to life in the waking world while still, magically, continuing to exist with the surreal feeling that filled the space between imagination and reality. It was the continuation of their story, the next chapter.

Their secrets finally shared with each other.

* * *

_Again, posting beta-lite because my beta/muse/friend/niece (circle appropriate) is MIA. How dare she have a life!_

_...I'm kidding. :)  
_

_Feel free to virtually smack me in the back of the head/poke me in the eye if you notice any particularly glaring errors and I'll waste no time fixing them.  
_


	6. Holding Revelations

_My niece got into law! So, you know, that's about the most awesome thing ever and I wait with anticipation and filled to bursting with pride as she takes the next step on the road to ownership of the universe.  
That has absolutely nothing to do with the story, but I'm too delighted to not mention it. I will literally tell anyone who stops in ear shot long enough for me to get the words out.  
You think I'm kidding, don't you? But I'm not. Random strangers in the street of my town (and the larger street of the Interwebz) have this information because I am chuffed.  
I'm also very proud of a future nurse who I have the pleasure of knowing. At least one small piece of the world will be in very good hands in just a few years._

* * *

_So, this story is basically completely out of my control now... I have absolutely no idea how it happened but that's ok. I seem to be stabbing helplessly at my keyboard without any idea what's going to come up on the page. I am, it seems, completely at the mercy of a muse who refuses to give away the ending, even to me. Which is slightly scary, since I'm writing the thing but let's just go with it. I like to think I'm a very easy going person and I'm happy enough to just go with the flow. I'm just as excited and unsure about what's coming next as you all are so that's … fun? =\_

_This chapter, and the one(s) following, are for sianita95 to whom I am very grateful for planting the seeds of inspiration which lead to this. And I'm thankful for her patience while I work my way up to the juicy bits. ;)_

**This chapter is T.**

* * *

"This is ridiculous, Castle, what are we even doing here?" Beckett asked standing in front of the wall of floor to ceiling glass which afforded her a breathtaking view of a glittering skyline. Thousands and thousands of neon lights coloured the landscape as the sun sank below the horizon.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm considering phoning down for one of those cute little steaks with fluffy potato and the cheese butter." Castle answered, but he seemed distracted and Beckett turned towards him. He was slumped back in a leather easy chair, one leg casually draped over the arm of the chair and his elbow perched on the other, his head resting on one upturned palm. "But right now I'm happy to enjoy the spectacular view," He said, a grin threatening to break across his face.

"How can you even see it from there?" Beckett asked turning back to glance out the windows.

"Different view, Beckett," Castle said, his tone dangerously low as he said her name. She turned back towards him quickly, catching him as his eyes raked over her body.

"Oh, jeez," Beckett said rolling her eyes at him but unable to hide the blush that stained her cheeks. Castle smiled and pushed out of the chair, crossing the room to her.

"Relax, Kate. We're here to unwind." He said turning her back towards the window and wrapping his arms around her from behind, pulling her back against his chest.

"I can't help it," Beckett shrugged, her shoulders tensing upwards and her bottom lip disappearing behind her teeth as Castle's lips teased along the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. She felt him smile against her skin and gripped her tighter.

"Montgomery gave you, and by extension me, a few extra days off, Kate. You're going to enjoy them."

"Oh, I am?" She asked, grinning even as she teased him. Castle hummed the affirmative, his lips trailing up her neck to kiss the hollow behind her ear.

"That's why I brought you out here." He said. "I wanted to show you a good time, I wanted you to be able to have fun. Let your hair down and go a little crazy, a little wild."

"I don't know how I even let you talk me in to this," Beckett said shaking her head, a smile still toying with the corners of her mouth. She closed her eyes for a moment before releasing a sigh and turning in the circle of Castle's arms. She was met instantly with the hot press of his lips and for a moment she lost her train of thought. Castle pulled back slightly and met her eyes when he felt the slight hesitation in her posture and her kiss.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his thumbs brushing a reassuring arc against the small of her back as his forehead came to rest against hers.

"Vegas, Castle? Really?" She asked, her brow furrowing cutely as she struggled to find the words to explain the slight tentativeness in her otherwise composed demeanour.

"Yeah," Castle nodded. "Why not? We're both grownups," He shrugged. "I said grown up, Beckett, not mature." He interjected before she could voice the retort on the tip of her tongue, kissing the corner of her mouth when she smiled. "I want you to be able to unwind, I want us to have some fun and spend some time together without the involvement of a dead body. So why not come to The Entertainment Capital of the World."

"It's not really my style," Beckett shrugged.

"All the more reason to bring you here," Castle said. "I know you don't need me to coddle you, I know you don't need me to take care of you, I know how independent and self-sufficient you are and I don't want to try and take that away from you, but that doesn't mean I don't want to go all out for you, for us." He sighed. "I don't want you to suddenly change the person you are, I'm not trying to change you or imply you're suddenly incapable of taking care of yourself. I just want you to enjoy yourself and I want to be a part of it.

"I want to see you be Kate and not Detective Beckett, I want to see you stop holding the reigns so tightly on that wild streak you keep teasing me about. Take the lid off and let it out, let go and just live superfluously for no other reason than because you can, if only for a couple of days. Please let me do that for you. I know you, you know I do, and if we'd stayed in New York, even with you off work, you wouldn't decompress. You'd find a way to keep working even without being on the job. I want to spoil you, Kate, and I know that makes you uncomfortable but I need to at least try and show you that it's not as scary as you think it is."

"I don't want to be that way," Beckett sighed, turning her head away from Castle to let her eyes travel across the luxurious hotel room they were currently in. "I don't want to push you away every time you try and get close,"

"I know," Castle nodded.

"I'm done making excuses as to why we shouldn't,"

"I know that, Kate." He nodded again.

"I want to let you in," She whispered as she lay her head against Castle's chest, wrapping her arms around his back as he pulled her more securely to his chest. He made her feel tiny when he held her this way, an unspoken reverence in his touch as he folded her body against his, her head tucked neatly under his chin and his hands spanning almost the entire width of her back with splayed fingers. She might normally balk at the gesture; pull away, force space between them in an effort to impose some sort of imaginary dominance or assert her control but it was different with him, now. It was all suddenly different.

She didn't feel like he was trying to stifle her control, he wasn't attempting to take the reins and make her feel inferior, like something that was fragile and needed to be protected. He didn't want to limit her but bring her to a place where she could be set free and expand in ways she didn't normally allow herself. He was guiding her to walk with him, side by side, down a path. He didn't want to push her or walk ahead of her, leading her by the hand, he wanted them to walk together.

He was simply trying to exist in the same space as she was, move closer to her now that the walls between them had finally fallen to dust. She wondered, idly, whether it was a fear – whether conscious or not – that the walls would suddenly snap back up into place if he didn't hold on.

Was that irony? That the actions he took to reassure himself she was still there, still in reach, still his, were the very same that may make her feel like she needed to push away, to step back because she felt she was being smothered. Her overriding need to run when someone got too close for fear of being hurt stifled only be the small but clear voice in her head which reminded her she'd asked for this. She had, in fact, initiated the hug which had sent her mind spiralling in the first place and that logical, grounding voice reminded her that she'd be a fool to push him away, to punish him for something she'd instigated.

"I just don't really know how." She whispered at last.

"That isn't your fault and I want you to know that I understand that." He said, his voice instantly calm and reassuring. "Your whole life you feel like you've been abandoned by people you cared about, let down by them under whatever circumstances. Hurt by people who were close to you, whether intentionally or not, and I know it's hard for you to accept it, Kate, but I am different," He said softly, kissing the crown of her head before resting his temple against the same spot. "I'm not going anywhere."

"After almost three years of your persistence, having you following me around like a puppy, I should be able to convince myself of that." Beckett smiled, closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath. "I am trying."

"I know," Castle said and Beckett felt him nod slightly. "We're in this together, one day at a time, right?"

"Right," Beckett nodded.

"I didn't bring you here to make you uncomfortable, I just wanted to do something for you and this seemed like a good idea at the time."

"You never did do anything by halves."

"I considered taking you up to The Hamptons but I know you'd get restless with nothing to do, you'd be bored within hours and pining to go back to the city."

"I'm sure we could have found something to do to occupy our time," Beckett all but giggled, feeling Castle's breath catch slightly as the idea landed in his brain and his imagination took off like a rocket. "You're right though, there's more than enough distractions from distraction here to keep us busy for a few days."

"We don't _have_ to leave the hotel room," Castle said, clearing his throat almost imperceptibly. "But if we choose to then, you know, we'll find something to do."

"I'm sure," Beckett nodded, biting her bottom lip in a failed attempt to stifle the smile which refused to stop spreading across her face.

"If it helps any just remember that this is as much for you as it is for me." Castle said pulling back from the hug and looking down at her again. Beckett turned a smile towards him.

"I'll keep that in mind." She nodded, pressing up on her toes to capture his lips again.

* * *

_Any questions? lol I tried very hard to anticipate any furrowed brows which may have arisen from the sudden change of location and explain myself in dialogue. I'm ever so hopeful that by the end of this chapter the reaction will be nothing more than "well of COURSE they went to Vegas" but if not I can deal with that too._


	7. Holding Water

_So, both my parents stayed with me for Australia Day/my birthday. I cannot even begin to tell you how awkward it was trying to write this with them in residence. Anyway...  
_

_...I did? Eventually.  
With a lot of prodding.  
And a LOT of help from the ever amazing sianita95 who entertains, encourages and leads me on the righteous (?) path of smut. I'm operating under a whole new set of prompts now, it seems. I'm not sorry. :)_

_Ever thankful to anyone and everyone who reviews, favourites and follows for basically giving me the impression that I am doing at least something right._

**This chapter is M**_ and, as previously, feel free to skip it or stop reading at the break if you'd rather not ... go there. For everyone else, those people as wayward as me, I hope it was worth the wait!_

* * *

"You're wet," Castle said his voice wavering slightly and Beckett's eyebrows shot to her hairline.

"Very astute, Captain Obvious. Why do you sound so surprised?" She asked.

"You're naked," Castle observed, blinking quickly.

"Have you ever thought of becoming a detective?" Beckett asked, rolling her eyes before turning away from Castle. "I'm in a swimming pool, Castle, what were you expecting?" She said pushing off the wall of the private pool in which she was currently crouching, her head and shoulders visible above the surface, and gliding through the water.

"I," Castle stopped and cleared his throat. "I wasn't expecting you to be naked."

"I'm not naked," She challenged as she turned back to face him from the far end of the pool, her back resting against the edge and Castle's breath was stolen again by the sheer beauty of the scene. The infinity edged pool gave way to a sweeping view of the city spread out beyond their hotel, beyond another floor to ceiling wall of one way glass, but the dazzling lights hardly registered in his brain, eclipsed totally as he took in the sight that was the magnificence of _Kate_.

Uninhibited, or close to it, she watched him with an intent gaze, her expression unguarded and open, almost daring him to act, enticing him to come to her and test the waters of this new relationship they'd forged. She was simply stunning, mind blowing, as the cool blue water rippled around her.

She was completely free of makeup and her fair skin was smooth and even across her whole body. He wondered whether a few days in the Las Vegas sun would darken it any, maybe add a few new freckles to the collection he was fast becoming addicted to mapping. Provided they made it outside long enough. Her hair fell in rivers of loose curls past her shoulders, the ends several shades darker floating on the surface of the water. The glow from the pool lit the depths of her eyes and gave the autumn coloured orbs the look of impermeable sparkling jewels.

"Wh-what?" He asked suddenly, registering that she'd spoken.

"I said I'm not naked." She said again, laughing when he frowned and his eyes travelled the length of her body, obscured slightly below the surface of the water. "I'm topless, there's a difference."

"Right," Castle nodded dumbly, clearing his throat as his eyes dropped lower than her face again for a moment before snapping back to her eyes. "Your eyes are extraordinary." He said and Beckett had the good grace to smile self-consciously and blush a little. "They look like gems, I'm not sure I've seen them quite like this before."

"And?" Beckett asked.

"It makes me wonder what's being hidden underneath." Castle said as he stepped up to the edge of the pool, looking down at the rippling water as Beckett swam back towards him.

"Break the surface, Castle." Beckett said in a deviously low tone.

"Do you mean the water?" Castle asked looking back towards her as she stopped a few feet from the edge where he was standing, not sure whether to trust the invitation in her tone as fact or imagination. The newness of their relationship still too surreal sometimes.

"Maybe," Beckett grinned, her lip disappearing behind her teeth. "Why don't you come here and find out?" She said standing to her full height in the waist deep water. Castle's eyes went wide and he blinked quickly before stepping off the side of the pool, pin dropping into the water. Beckett laughed as a wash of water swelled up her stomach.

Castle took a wide step forward, closing the distance between them, and wrapping his arms around Beckett. He pulled the detective firmly against his chest but pulled back slightly before his mouth crashed against hers.

"What?" Beckett asked, grinning broadly and shaking her head slightly.

"Just, taking a moment." Castle shrugged.

"What for?"

"To look at you, appreciate you."

"Still worried you're dreaming?" Beckett giggled.

"No," Castle shook his head. "Maybe," He frowned slightly. "No," He said again. "This is way too good to be a dream."

"Come on, Castle," Beckett said rolling her eyes, tracing her fingers across the ridge of his collarbone.

"No, it's true," He said, jumping to the defensive immediately but pausing long enough to steal a chased kiss. "There's no way even I could make this up, it's beyond my wildest dreams, beyond every expectation."

"So you're just going to stand there while we're both half naked and look at me? You're not even going to kiss me properly?"

"Oh, you want me to _kiss_ you," Castle said, earning an eyeroll. "On the lips?"

"That would be a good place to start, yes." Beckett smiled, nodding and stretching onto her toes as Castle leant forward to catch her mouth in a tender kiss. He kissed a line along her jaw, laving the skin just behind her ear before painting a line of kisses down the side of her neck.

"How am I doing so far?" Castle asked, his lips pressed to Beckett's collarbone.

"No complaints," Beckett managed, her voice lost on a sharp inhale as Castle gripped her rear end and pulled their lower halves flush together. He felt a shiver run through her body as his mouth continued a burning path along her collarbone, pausing briefly at the hollow of her throat before he curved forward and his mouth trailed lower down her chest.

She arched her spine, pushing herself more firmly against his mouth. "You like that?" Castle said and Beckett could feel him grin against her skin.

"God Castle," She said sliding her fingers into the hair at the back of his head and lifting his mouth back to hers. "No more talking," She said before pressing her lips to his, threading her arms around his neck and pulling his body flush to hers again, her feet almost clearing the floor of the pool as Castle held her weight against him and she held her shoulder's level with his with the strength in her arms. A small part of her subconscious was aware they were moving through the water slowly, their kiss never breaking.

All rational thought ceased as they lost themselves in the kiss. Their tongues met in open air briefly before lips were sealed together firmly. Beckett pulled Castle's bottom lip between her teeth and bit gently before soothing the marks with a flick of her tongue. His arms tightened around her pulling her higher again, her feet no longer touching the floor, but she hardly noticed.

There was nothing but this. Lips and tongues exploring, learning, tasting and claiming, rolling together in the most welcome of invasions as they drifted. Hot skin pressed together hands holding bodies close as if all life depended on it.

Beckett startled slightly, a jolt running through her whole body when her hip bumped against the solid end of the pool, her body slipping down his until her feet made contact with the floor again. Her lips broke away from Castle's for the first time in - she didn't know how long and she turned her head slightly, her cheek resting against Castle's shoulder as he sank his teeth into the juncture of her shoulder.

"Nice view," Castle mumbled against her skin and Beckett smiled, pulling her bottom lip in behind her teeth as her eyes slipped closed. Castle gripped her hips more firmly and turned her entire body to face the window a few inches from the end of the pool, her eyes opening but struggling to focus. Without breaking full body contact he moved to stand behind her, his body fitting around hers and his hands splaying across her stomach.

"Castle," Beckett, a breathy moan tumbling out as one of his hands slid up her damp skin to cup her breast and the other inched lower. Beckett pressed her back against his chest, acutely aware of his arousal hot and heavy against her lower back, her head lulled to one side on his shoulder as his mouth continued to assault her senses.

"Tell me what you want," Castle breathed, his tongue tracing the shell of her ear. She rolled her head on her shoulders so she was face to face with him again, a devious grin breaking across her face.

"I think we should make some waves," She said pulling his bottom lip between her teeth again, unable to pass up the opportunity to tease him a little.

"Waves, huh?" Castle said, his grin matching hers.

"Uh huh," She nodded slowly. "I think you should dive right in," She said her grin widening as his eyes did so. "Deep, Mister Castle,"

"Deep," Castle echoed, swallowing audibly.

.

* * *

.

"So very, very deep." Beckett nodded again, her projected composure wavering as Castle's fingers slipped below the red, barely there bikini bottoms and through the slick heat of her need. A growl vibrated through his chest and his lips crashed against hers again.

"I want you to make me forget my own name, Castle." Beckett said, her eyes closing again as she arched into his touch.

Never one to deny Beckett anything Castle pushed his board shorts down enough to free himself of the fabric and, still holding Beckett firmly with a hand across her stomach, moved the bottom of her bikini aside. He pressed into her in a single long stroke and they both groaned loudly, the sound echoing back off the window in front of them.

Beckett's feet slipped slightly as she rocked her hips, trying to match Castle's pace. She reached out, across the gap between the pools edge and the window and braced herself against the glass, the other hand gripping the edge of the pool as she bent slightly forward.

Castle's hands remained at her hips, holding her with almost bruising pressure as they drifted higher together. Beckett grinned wickedly, biting hard on her bottom lip to stifle an inappropriately timed giggle as the sound of the water rushing over the end of the pool registered in the part of her brain still connected to reality. The steady lapping interrupted by a torrential pour of water which matched the pace of their movements.

They were definitely making waves, as requested. As for depth...she sucked in a quick breath as her thoughts trailed off. One of Castle's hands slipped across the flat plane of her stomach, banding firmly around her waist and holding the lower half of her body steady as he stood slightly straighter, his other hand sliding up her spine and tangling in the hair at the back of her skull. He pulled firmly, guiding Beckett to arch her back, leaning over her back to lay kisses on the skin between her shoulder blades.

"Rick," Beckett gasped, white lights beginning to dot her vision, blending with the lights of the city through the window as Castle's hand moved down the front of her bikini again, his talented fingers moving with exactly the right combination of pressure and speed.

"Let go, baby." Castle whispered, his voice low and gravelly, his voice tickling across her ear. Beckett was inwardly impressed with the amount of control he exuded given their current situation. His thrusts were becoming less measured and more sloppy though, and she knew there was no small amount of effort involved in order to get the words out.

The small, still coherent voice in her head vanished an instant later as she gave over completely to the sensations assaulting her body. A string of garbled, half formed words, moans and gasps tripped from both their mouths before Beckett cried out, her entire body seizing up for a moment before giving way to rolling shudders that ran to the depths of her bones.

Castle stayed with her as long as he was able, bringing her most of the way through the shattering orgasm before falling over the edge with her as aftershocks zipped through her muscles.

When Beckett came back to herself she was cradled bonelessly in Castle's arms, her back pressed firmly against his chest and his arms banded around her middle, her head resting against the juncture of his neck and shoulder, supporting her weight in the calming water of the pool.

Beckett remained silent, her eyes closing as she drew a deep breath and adjusted her head against Castle's shoulder slightly, pressing her forehead against the side of his neck and smiling when his lips ghosted across the crown of her head.

"Hey," Beckett said on a contented sigh, opening her eyes again.

"Hey yourself," Castle said, squeezing her slightly a frown covering his face when Beckett giggled. "Something funny?" He asked.

"I wonder what housekeeping will make of that," She said lifting her head to look up at him before looking back towards the window in front of them, gesturing towards a very obvious handprint smudged against the glass.

"That's so cool," Castle said. "Just like in Titanic," He said enthusiastically and Beckett rolled her eyes.

"Castle, that was," Beckett stopped and shook her head, chewing on the corner of her lip as a blush coloured her cheeks.

"Oh, I know," Castle said, waggling his eyebrows, his eyes and tone dripping egocentric self-assurance and manly pride. "I am totally claiming that as a multiple org,"

"I beg your pardon," Beckett said indignantly, cutting him off before he could finish. "That was _not_ more than one. It was definitely only one, just a very intense one. The most intense, if you must know."

"Down there, maybe," Castle conceded with a shrug. "Number two is much higher." He said his eyes running over the mussed tangles of her slightly damp hair. "Hairgasm," He clarified, lifting one hand to push a stray lock of sweaty hair back off her forehead. Beckett rolled her eyes again but couldn't hide her smile as she turned back towards the window, focusing on the reflection of herself in the glass.

Beckett moved slightly away from Castle's broad chest, turning in the circle of his arms as she dipped below the surface of the water, the weight of the water flattening out the evidence of their aquatic activity.

"Don't worry, Stud," She said stretching up to press a kiss to Castle's lips at the look of complete disappointment on his face. "I'll let you mess it up again later." She said with a wink, huffing a small laugh when Castle's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"Is that a promise?" He asked against her lips and Beckett smiled, nodding once.

"And if I do ever forget my own name, I know where to come."

"Oh, poor choice of words," Castle smiled.

"You seem to know it very well," She said, shivering slightly as she recalled him chanting her name into her skin. "You seem to know it very well and I'm sure you'll be able to remind me."

"Always," Castle said, his eyes twinkling as he lowered his mouth to hers again.

* * *

_Wayward ain't a bad way to be. This is a no judgement zone. ;)_

_A special shoutout to Lydian Stone for inspiring the opening lines of this chapter (without actually ever meaning to) and giving me a place to start – and because I simply couldn't help myself! If you haven't read her stuff (particularly Bated Breath) I highly recommend that you do. Good clean entertainment that never goes where it shouldn't and always says exactly what it should._

**fanfiction dot net/u/2248120/**


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